Change-over switch for direction indicators



@ct I, 1935.

C. A. LDFGREN CHANGE-OVER SWITCH FOR DIRECTION INDICATORS Filed May 11, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l COTI A. Lbfg by/emdw \nvenfor ren ATTys.

do 1, MBSO c. A. LCFGREN 9 99 CHANGE-OVER SWITCH FOR DIRECTION INDICATORS Filed'May ll, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Cofl A. L6? gran byMMA W ATTys.

Patented Oct. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES CHANGE-OVER SWITCH FOR DIRECTION INDICATORS Carl Arne Liifgren, Linkoping, Sweden Application May 11, 1934, Serial No. 725,127 In Sweden November 22, 1932 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to change-over switches for electrically operated direction indicators for motor vehicles and the like with automatic returning by turning the steering wheel and consisting of a contact box or the like and a contact arm and a device intended for the returning, the said arm being rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the shaft of the steering wheel and located Within finger control. The characteristic of the invention is substantially that the returning device consists of a preferably two-armed lever turnably secured to the contact arm at a suitable distance from its axis of rotation, the said lever being adapted, when the contact arm is in its operative position, during the turning of the steering wheel to be actuated by the spokes of the steering wheel or by projections provided on the same, and the movement of which towards one side is limited by a shoulder on the contact box, besides which the lever is actuated by a spring keeping the lever in an upright position.

An embodiment of the change-over switch is illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a cross section of the change-over switch placed within finger control on a bracket projecting from the shaft of the steering-wheel.

Figure 2 shows the change-over switch when viewed from above.

Figure 3 shows the same view the upper portion being removed.

Figure 4 shows the contact arm in active position, i. e. moved to one side.

Figure 5 is a general view with the change-over switch mounted on the shaft of the steering wheel.

A bracket 28 provided on the steering wheel shaft 29 carries the contact box IE). Within the latter the contact arm I9 may turn about the shaft H3. The contact arm I9 is provided with a member 22, which may turn about a shaft 23 and the upper portion of which carries a stiff spiral spring 2!. The said spring is kept in an upright position by the spring 24. The contact box H! is provided with a recess 21 the sides of which together with the shoulders 25 limit the lateral movement of the arm 19. Within the contact box are the contacts necessary for switching on and switching off the current and a suitable spring-actuated device for retaining the arm IS in its inactive and active position respectively. Such a device is shown in Figures 1 and 3. The contact arm l9 extends beyond the contact box It! and the extremity of said arm is within finger control of the person operating the automobile. This contact arm H! has rigid therewith a resilient member or arm 22 so that said arm will swing about the pivot IS with the contact arm l9. Within the contact box It! is a contact member 39 provided with a terminal 3| to which a circult wire may be secured. This contact member 3 3 is provided with two raised portions or rest portions H! and a central recess 32 between the raised portions ll, the construction being such that when the contact arm I9 is swung from its central position into engagement with either shoulder 25, the resilient arm 20 will be moved from the recess 32 in which it is shown in Fig. 3 onto one of the raised or rest portions ll.

35 and 35 are two resilient contacts connected to" two terminals 33 and 34, and these contacts are normally out of engagement with the contact arm l9 when the latter is in the central position, but when the arm i9 is swung into engagement with either shoulder it is brought into engagement with one of the contacts 35, 36. Hence, when the contact arm 19 is in either extreme position a signal circuit will be closed through the contact member 30, resilient contact 28, contact arm l9 and one of the contacts 35, 36.

The lever 22 is so mounted. on the contact arm 59 that when the latter is in engagement with either shoulder 25, the lower end of the lever 22 will also be in engagement with said shoulder.

The change-over switch operates as follows: When the driver desires to indicate change of direction, e. g. to the left, by means of a direction indicator, he moves by means of a finger the contact arm IS in the direction in which the steering wheel will be turned in making a left turn. The arm will then assume the position shown in Figure 4, where it is retained by the spring-actuated member l6, which is moved to a side or rest position I! simultaneously with the turning of the shaft I8, in which position also the circuit is closed by the said contacts. When the steering wheel is now turned to the left the spokes of the same will touch the member 2|, which is easily moved aside, since only the spring 24 offers resistance.

The turning direction of the steering wheel, however, being reversed when leaving the curve the member 2| is again hit by a spoke, by which a lever action will occur between the member 2| and the member 22, the said member 22 being pressed against the shoulder 25, the arm l9 following the movement of the steering wheel so far that the member I6 is moved from its resting position l1 and further under the actuation of the spring 20 to its middleor normal position, where an angular recess is provided, into which the springactuated member slides down, whereby also the arm I9 is held in its normal position. Instead of letting the member 2| be operated directly by the spokes of the steering wheel, aprojection may be provided on one'or two of the said spokes in a suitable position relatively to the member 2|. The lever 2 I, 22 also may be disposed in another Way than that shown in the drawings. So for instance it also may be disposed as a one-armed lever, besides which it may be placed to the left of the shaft l8 on an extension of the arm l9.

The mode of operation of an automatic changeover switch according to the above described embodiment is very simple and by means of a screwdriver the said switch may be applied to any automobile only by one screw and also be applied to such automobiles as have means below the steering wheel for controlling gas and ignition, etcetera.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to seizure by Letters Patent is:

1. A change-ever switch for electrically operated direction indicators for motor vehicles and the like comprising a contact box, means for attaching it to the steering post of an automobile,

a contact arm pivotally-mounted in the box and extending beyond the latter to a position within finger control of a person operating the automobile, said contact box having stop shoulders to limit the swinging movement of the contact arm in either direction, means for closing a signal cirsuit when the contact arm is swung into engagement with a stop shoulder, a restoring lever pivoted to the contact arm and so located that when the contact arm is in engagement with a stop shoulder the restoring lever also engages a stop shoulder on the contact box, the upper end of said lever being situated to be engaged by the spokes of the steering wheel as the latter is turned whereby as the automobile is straightened after making a turn, said lever will fulcrum against a stop shoulder on the contact box and thereby shift the contact arm to central position and a spring tending normally to hold the lever yieldingly in up right position.

2. A change-over switch having the features described in claim 1 in which the upper end of the restoring lever is resilient and the spring which tends to hold said lever in upright position is carried by the contact arm.

CARL ARNE LoFoREN. 

